Field Experiences in Natural Infrastructure
UGA ENGR 8990
October 23-26, 2025
Welcome to the class!
What:
UGA short course on natural infrastructure
Course
syllabus
When:
October 23-26, 2025
9:00-5:00 PM (daily)
Instructors:
Dr. Brian
Bledsoe, Director, Institute for
Resilient Infrastructure Systems, University of Georgia
Dr. Kyle McKay, Environmental Director, Woolpert
Course Overview
The course will cover various topics related to the planning, design, and execution of nature-based solutions for water resource management. Students will explore these topics through fieldwork components, engaging in hands-on activities and gaining practical experience. Field sites around Athens will be visited to observe and study the interaction of natural systems and infrastructure. These activities aim to deepen understanding of concepts discussed in other UGA courses on natural infrastructure and bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. The course also offers a unique opportunity for students to collaborate with professionals, experts, and local stakeholders involved in diverse ecosystems. Safety protocols and guidelines will be provided to ensure the well-being of all participants during fieldwork.
The approximate course schedule is shown below. However, all items are subject to change based on visitor availability, weather, and other factors. This intensive, four-day timeline will give us a great opportunity to see natural infrastructure features, but there will not be much time for reading. As such, we require and recommend the following references, which set the stage for getting the most out of our limited time together.
Required reading:
- Booth, D.B. and Fischenich, C.J., 2015. A channel evolution model to
guide sustainable urban stream restoration. Area, 47(4),
pp.408-421.
- Fischenich, C., 2008. The application of conceptual models to
ecosystem restoration. Engineer Research and Development Center,
Vicksburg, MS.
- Gregory, R.S. and Keeney, R.L., 2002. Making smarter environmental
management decisions. Journal of the American Water Resources
Association, 38(6), pp.1601-1612.
- Hicks C.C., Levine A., Agrawal A., Basurto X., Breslow S.J.,
Carothers C/. Charnley S., Coulthard S., Dolsak N., Donatuto J.,
Garcia-Quijano C., Mas-cia M.B., Norman K., Poe M.R., Satterfield T.,
St. Martin K., and Levin P.S. 2016. Engage key social concepts for
sustainability. Science, 352 (6281), 38-40.
- Jackson, C.R., Wenger, S.J., Bledsoe, B.P., Shepherd, J.M., Capps,
K.A., Rosemond, A.D., Paul, M.J., Welch‐Devine, M., Li, K., Stephens, T.
and Rasmussen, T.C., 2023. Water supply, waste assimilation, and
low‐flow issues facing the Southeast Piedmont Interstate‐85 urban
archipelago. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources
Association.
- McKay S.K., Wenger S.J., van Rees C.B., Bledsoe B., and Bridges T.S.
2023. Jointly advancing infrastructure and biodiversity conservation.
Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00484-z.
- Palmer, M.A. and Febria, C.M., 2012. The heartbeat of ecosystems. Science, 336(6087), pp.1393-1394.
Recommended reading:
- Cluer, B. and Thorne, C., 2014. A stream evolution model integrating
habitat and ecosystem benefits. River Research and Applications, 30(2),
pp.135-154.
- Doyle, M.W., Stanley, E.H., Havlick, D.G., Kaiser, M.J., Steinbach,
G., Graf, W.L., Galloway, G.E. and Riggsbee, J.A., 2008. Aging
infrastructure and ecosystem restoration. Science, 319(5861),
pp.286-287.
- Jackson C.R., Martin J.K., Leigh D.S., and West L.T. 2005. A
southeastern piedmont watershed sediment budget: Evidence for a
multi-millennial agricultural legacy. Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation, 60 (6), 298-310.
- Mace, G.M., 2014. Whose conservation?. Science, 345(6204),
pp.1558-1560.
- Nesshöver, C., Assmuth, T., Irvine, K.N., Rusch, G.M., Waylen, K.A.,
Delbaere, B., Haase, D., Jones-Walters, L., Keune, H., Kovacs, E. and
Krauze, K., 2017. The science, policy and practice of nature-based
solutions: An interdisciplinary perspective. Science of the total
environment, 579, pp.1215-1227.
- Palmer, M.A., Bernhardt, E.S., Allan, J.D., Lake, P.S., Alexander,
G., Brooks, S., Carr, J., Clayton, S., Dahm, C.N., Follstad Shah, J. and
Galat, D.L., 2005. Standards for ecologically successful river
restoration. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42(2), pp.208-217.
- Palmer, M.A. and Filoso, S., 2009. Restoration of ecosystem services for environmental markets. Science, 325(5940), pp.575-576.
Thursday (Oct 23)
Download daily handout (forthcoming).
- 0900 – Convene at parking lot in front of Boyd Graduate Studies
Building (inside lobby in case of rain)
- 1000-1200 - Whitehall Forest, Dean’s pond, and the Middle Oconee
River floodplain
- 1200-1300 - Lunch break (bring your own
lunch)
- 1300-1500 – Land use history of the Piedmont and the White Dam
removal
- 1600-1630 – Return to campus and adjourn
Links to pertinent resources:
Friday (Oct 24)
Download daily handout (forthcoming).
- 0900 – Convene at parking lot in front of Boyd Graduate Studies Bldg
(inside lobby in case of rain).
- 0900-1200 – Campus stormwater walk.
- 1200-1300 – Lunch on your own in downtown Athens.
- 1300 – Convene at the Arch for a van ride to the North Oconee
Greenway.
- 1300-1430 – North Oconee River flood management and Trail Creek
chemical spill.
- 1430-1630 - TBD.
- 1630-1700 - Vans return to Boyd Graduate Studies Building and adjourn.
Links to pertinent resources:
Saturday (Oct 25)
Download daily handout (forthcoming).
- 0900 – Convene at parking lot in front of Boyd Graduate Studies Bldg
(inside lobby in case of rain).
- 0930 – Arrive at Ben Burton Park.
- 930-1200 - Middle Oconee River tour focused on environmental flows,
riparian buffers, long-term data collection, and large-river
ecology.
- 1200-1300 - Lunch break (bring your own
lunch).
- 1300-1630 - Exploration of the Hunnicutt Creek Watershed with your
class project team.
- 1630-1700 - Vans return to Boyd Graduate Studies Building and adjourn.
Links to pertinent resources:
Sunday (Oct 26)
Download daily handout (forthcoming).
- 0900 – Convene at West entrance to STEM2 (opposite the back of the
Ecology Bldg).
- 0900-1000 - Team time for final preparations of group
presentations.
- 1000-1130 – Presentation of class projects (10 minutes per team +
questions and answer).
- 1130-1200 – Summary and final thoughts.
- 1200 – ADJOURN.
Links to pertinent resources:
